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Re: is center channel necessary?

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In Reply to: is center channel necessary? posted by Jon B on January 04, 2000 at 01:58:26:

Hi Jon. I've had my system both ways. Its a music first
system but I do a fare share of home theater and concert
laserdiscs and dvd's. In my experience, sure if you're
in the sweet spot no real problem, but as you get off
axis with some speakers listeners outside the sweet spot
will experience a collaspe of the front soundstage into
the nearest speaker. My Vandersteen 1C's have a wider than
average horizontal sweet spot and thus I was able to do
pretty good without a center for a while,but ended up
getting one anyway for an excellent soundstage&imaging at
either end of the sofa. My listening room is on the small
side which further facilitates the need for a center. The
further back you are from the front soundstage the less
there is a perceived collaspe into either left or right
speaker from an off-axis position in my experience. If you're the only one watching movies or in a decent size
(read medium to large) room then you might need one as much as the other scenario (smaller room with many viewers,meaning some will be off-axis). Hope this helps.

Follow Ups:

Exactly Greg 19:53:08 01/04/00 (0)
Re: is center channel necessary? Jon B 07:05:12 01/04/00 (6)
Thanks - it does help. My HT listening will be primarily on axis, and the room is 15x20, so I think I will try a set up minus the center for a while and see what happens.
By the way, the journal at the www.audioperfectionist.com link mentioned below also discusses this issue - this turned out to be a very interesting link.
JB
- Re: is center channel necessary? Estes 07:56:03 01/04/00 (5)
  Actually UHF magazine discussed this a couple of years ago and stated that a centre channel was redunant in most situations, if the stereo speakers are set up properly. Remember most dialogue is a mono recording, so even sitting off axis should not be a big problem. Of course too far off axis and it will seem the voice is coming from somewhere else, not from the actor talking.
  - I agree... Jim Bookhard 14:27:08 01/04/00 (4)
    When the main "stereo" speakers are set up properly, there is no problem and a center channel speaker is an unnecessary redudancy.
    - Re: I agree... but.... michael w 22:58:01 01/04/00 (3)
      .... is there such a thing as a necessary redundancy ???
      hehe :)
      - Re: I agree... but.... Jim Bookhard 07:15:21 01/05/00 (2)
        
        In Reply to: Re: I agree... but.... posted by michael w on January 04, 2000 at 22:58:01:
        
        Yes...just take a look at Windows system files!!!!! Hehehe!
        
        all too true about.... michael 13:54:06 01/05/00 (1)
        
        In Reply to: Re: I agree... but.... posted by Jim Bookhard on January 05, 2000 at 07:15:21:
        
        ...Windoze
        zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
        
        michael w
        
        Re: all too true about.... Estes 05:19:02 01/06/00 (0)
        
        In Reply to: all too true about.... posted by michael on January 05, 2000 at 13:54:06:
        
        Lol. Ah if only Steve Jobs was not an immature jerk, we could all be using Apple systems and that Gates fellow would be selling pencils on a street corner.

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